As a distinctive resource of Chinese civilization， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） technology transfer faces significant opportunities under the background of digital and intelligent transformation， while also being constrained by unique challenges such as the complexity of its theoretical system， lengthy industrial chains， and multidimensional policy restrictions， resulting in a "high-value-high-threshold" paradox. At present， TCM technology transfer is deeply trapped in a "threefold reluctance" dilemma， i.e.， unwillingness to transfer， inability to transfer， and lack of capacity to transfer. Specifically， the disconnection between scientific research evaluation systems and market demand leads to low conversion rates of research achievements， unclear ownership and compliance risks suppress innovation incentives， and the absence of professional services intensifies supply-demand mismatches. This article systematically analyzes the specific characteristics of TCM technology transfer and proposes a breakthrough pathway centered on full-chain digital and intelligent transformation. By integrating technologies such as intelligent sorting systems， blockchain-based traceability， and AI diagnostic models， the TCM ecosystem spanning "cultivation-production-service" can be reconstructed. In terms of standardization， promoting the progression from "experience-based data conversion" to "data standardization" and further to "intelligent standardization" is advocated to resolve quality control challenges. For example， a "three-no-one-full" certification system can strengthen quality trust. Policy coordination should focus on optimizing mechanisms for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements， while exploring intellectual property securitization and risk-sharing models to stimulate research momentum. In terms of internationalization， reliance on the Belt and Road Initiative platform to promote the export of geo-authentic medicinal material brands and standards is recommended to build a dual-driven model of "technology plus culture". Looking ahead， through the construction of national-level databases， the cultivation of interdisciplinary talent， and the mutual recognition of international standards， a new paradigm of "scientific intelligent manufacturing" can be formed， providing systematic solutions for the modernization of TCM and global health governance.

ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between negative life events and depression severity in adolescent patients with depressive disorder， as well as the chain mediating role of insomnia symptoms and quality of life. Methods374 outpatient patients and hospitalized patients with adolescent depressive disorders were enrolled. The Adolescent Life Event Scale （ASLEC）， the Insomnia Severity Index （ISI）， the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire Short Form （WHOQOL-BREF）， and the Center for Epidemiology Depression Scale （CES-D） were used to evaluate the negative life event situation， insomnia symptoms， quality of life level and depression severity of the subjects， respectively. In addition， the PROCESS 4.0 macroprogram was used to analyze the chain mediating effect of insomnia symptoms and quality of life between negative life events and depression severity in patients with adolescent depressive disorder. ResultsThe results of correlation analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between negative life events and insomnia symptoms， quality of life， and depression severity （all P<0.05）. In addition， the results of chain mediation showed that negative life events had a significant direct effect on depression severity， with an effect size of 0.12 （P<0.001）. Insomnia symptoms and quality of life played a mediating role in the relationship between negative life events and depression severity in patients with adolescent depressive disorders， with indirect effect sizes of 0.062 （95%CI： 0.040-0.087） and 0.091 （95%CI： 0.059-0.123）， respectively. It could also play a chain mediation role， and the effect size was 0.039 （95%CI： 0.024-0.057）. ConclusionNegative life events experienced by patients with adolescent depressive disorder not only directly affect the severity of depressive symptoms， but may also indirectly exacerbate depression through insomnia symptoms and quality of life.

Objective To develop an automated system for the determination of gross α and gross β activity concentrations in water, and to support the rapid and automated monitoring of environmental water bodies. Methods Based on the thick source method, microwave evaporation-ashing was used to replace conventional electric hotplate heating. A grinder and a sample-spreading device were designed and operated via a robotic arm, achieving fully automated pretreatment, sample preparation, and measurement. Results Spike recovery tests demonstrated that the recovery rates were 95.7%-102.5% for gross α and 97.2%-108.1% for gross β. The relative standard deviations were 4.1%-7.8% for gross α and 5.9%-7.7% for gross β. Compared with manual laboratory methods, the average relative errors were 2.17%-6.25% for gross α and 4.17%-6.90% for gross β. The sample preparation time was reduced from an average of 72 hours to less than 5 hours, representing an efficiency improvement of over 90%. Conclusion The developed system enables rapid, accurate, and fully automated monitoring of gross α/β radioactivity, making it suitable for online monitoring of environmental water bodies. It can provide timely data on the radiological indicators of water bodies for environmental protection and water resource management authorities.

ObjectiveTo investigate whether Huanglian Jiedutang can inhibit neutrophil infiltration in the brains of middle cerebral artery occlusion （MCAO） mice by regulating the expression of neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes， thereby achieving therapeutic effects. MethodsA total of 130 male specific pathogen-free （SPF） C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into four groups： Sham-operated group， MCAO model group， Huanglian Jiedutang group （6 g·kg^-1）， and Ginaton group （21.6 mg·kg^-1）， with 10 mice in the Ginaton group and 40 mice in each of the remaining three groups. Mice in the Huanglian Jiedutang group and the Ginaton group were administered the corresponding drugs by oral gavage once daily at a volume of 0.15 mL·（10 g）^-1 for 7 consecutive days， while the sham-operated and model groups received an equal volume of saline via the same route. After 7 days， MCAO surgery was performed. The distal and proximal ends of the right common carotid artery （CCA） were ligated， a small incision was made between the two ligatures， and a silicone rubber-coated monofilament with a rounded tip was inserted into the lumen to occlude the CCA. The filament was left in place for 1 h to establish a focal cerebral ischemia model. At 24 h after modeling， mice were evaluated. Neurological function was assessed using the Longa score. Cerebral infarct volume was measured by 2，3，5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride （TTC） staining. Cerebral blood flow was observed by laser speckle imaging. Hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining and Nissl staining were used to observe pathological changes in brain tissues. Exosomes were isolated from mouse plasma and brain tissues by ultracentrifugation and molecular size exclusion and identified by electron microscopy， particle size analysis， and protein blotting. Long-chain RNA libraries of exosomes were constructed and sequenced. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression of inflammatory factors and neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues of each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the protein expression of inflammatory factors and neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes from brain tissues of each group. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of the neutrophil-specific protein myeloperoxidase （MPO） in the brains of mice in each group. ResultsCompared with the sham-operated group， the model group showed decreased neurological function scores （P<0.01）， obvious cerebral infarction （P<0.01）， reduced cerebral blood flow （P<0.01）， neuronal necrosis in the brain， and decreased numbers of Nissl bodies （P<0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL1， CXCL2， CXCL3， CXCL10， CCL2， and CCL3 in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL2， and CXCL10 in exosomes from brain tissues were increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and MPO-positive rates and mean optical density values in brain tissues were elevated （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the Huanglian Jiedutang group and the Ginaton group showed increased neurological function scores （P<0.05）， reduced cerebral infarct volume （P<0.01）， restored cerebral blood flow （P<0.01）， reduced necrotic cells in the brain， and increased numbers of Nissl bodies （P<0.01）. In the Huanglian Jiedutang group， the mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL1， CXCL2， CXCL3， CXCL10， CCL2， and CCL3 in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues were decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL2， and CXCL10 in exosomes from brain tissues were reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and MPO-positive rates and mean optical density values in brain tissues were decreased （P<0.01）. ConclusionHuanglian Jiedutang can effectively regulate the expression of neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues of MCAO mice， thereby reducing neutrophil infiltration in the brain and achieving therapeutic effects.

ObjectiveTo investigate the characteristics of metabolic reprogramming during cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury using single-cell transcriptome sequencing， analyze the heterogeneity of microglial populations， and evaluate the interventional effects of Huanglian Jiedutang on metabolic abnormalities and neuroinflammation. MethodsA transient middle cerebral artery occlusion （tMCAO） model was used to establish ischemic stroke in mice. Local cerebral blood flow changes were monitored by laser speckle imaging. Neurological impairment was evaluated using the Zea-Longa score， and histopathological damage in brain tissue was observed by HE and Nissl staining. Animals were divided into a sham group， model group， Huanglian Jiedutang group， and Ginkgo biloba extract （GBE） group. After 1 week of acclimatization， intragastric administration was initiated. The sham and model groups received normal saline， the Huanglian Jiedutang group was administered 1.82 g·kg^-1， and the GBE group was administered 0.432 g·kg^-1 after preparation as a 2.16 mg/mL solution. All groups were treated for 5 consecutive days （0.2 mL/10 g/day）， and the tMCAO model was established on day 6 after the final administration. At the molecular level， single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on ischemic hemisphere tissue. Non-negative matrix factorization （NMF） was used to cluster microglial subpopulations， combined with differential expression analysis， metabolic reprogramming assessment， and inflammatory factor correlation analysis to elucidate their functional characteristics in ischemia-reperfusion injury. Transcription factor enrichment analysis was further conducted to identify key regulatory nodes. Finally， PCR was used to detect mRNA expression changes of relevant genes to validate the single-cell sequencing results. ResultsCompared with the sham group， the model group showed increased neurological function scores （P<0.01）， decreased blood flow levels （P<0.01）， disordered cortical structure， increased cytoplasmic vacuolization， and increased Nissl bodies. Compared with the model group， the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed decreased neurological function scores （P<0.01）， increased blood flow levels （P<0.01）， alleviated cortical structural disorder， reduced cytoplasmic vacuolization， and decreased Nissl bodies. Single-cell analysis showed that microglia could be divided into five subpopulations. Among them， clusters 3 and 5 exhibited significant pro-inflammatory phenotypes， with marked activation of hypoxia and NF-κB signaling pathways， and were identified as pro-inflammatory subpopulations. Clusters 1 and 2 were enriched in Wnt/β-catenin and transforming growth factor（TGF）-β signaling pathways and exhibited prominent anti-inflammatory and reparative characteristics. Meanwhile， glycolysis-related genes， such as HK2， PFKP， and LDHA， were significantly upregulated in the pro-inflammatory subpopulations. Correlation analysis showed that the expression levels of inflammatory molecules were positively correlated with glycolysis-related gene expression levels， whereas the expression levels of reparative and anti-inflammatory molecules were negatively correlated with glycolysis-related gene expression levels， indicating that microglia rely on the glycolytic pathway for energy acquisition under ischemic conditions. Further single-cell transcriptome analysis revealed that Huanglian Jiedutang effectively downregulated key genes driving metabolic reprogramming （such as HK2， PFKP， and LDHA）， significantly reduced the proportion of microglial subpopulations accompanied by glycolytic reprogramming， and inhibited their transformation toward a damage phenotype， thereby reducing inflammatory injury. Meanwhile， compared with the sham group， the mRNA expression levels of interleukin （IL）-1β， IL-6， tumor necrosis factor（TNF）-α， CCL2， CXCL2， and CSF3 were significantly upregulated （P<0.01） in the model group， whereas the mRNA expression levels of endothelial- and pericyte-related functional genes， including RGS5， PECAM1， VEGFB， and NOS3， were significantly downregulated （P<0.01）. In contrast， compared with the model group， the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed significantly decreased mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， IL-6， TNF-α， CCL2， CXCL2， and CSF3 （P<0.01）， and significantly increased mRNA expression levels of endothelial- and pericyte-related functional genes， including RGS5， PECAM1， VEGFB， and NOS3 （P<0.01）. ConclusionHuanglian Jiedutang exerts neuroprotective effects by regulating the metabolic reprogramming state of microglia and modulating their inflammatory levels， thereby inhibiting neuroinflammatory injury.

ObjectiveTo investigate whether Huanglian Jiedutang can inhibit neutrophil infiltration in the brains of middle cerebral artery occlusion （MCAO） mice by regulating the expression of neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes， thereby achieving therapeutic effects. MethodsA total of 130 male specific pathogen-free （SPF） C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into four groups： Sham-operated group， MCAO model group， Huanglian Jiedutang group （6 g·kg^-1）， and Ginaton group （21.6 mg·kg^-1）， with 10 mice in the Ginaton group and 40 mice in each of the remaining three groups. Mice in the Huanglian Jiedutang group and the Ginaton group were administered the corresponding drugs by oral gavage once daily at a volume of 0.15 mL·（10 g）^-1 for 7 consecutive days， while the sham-operated and model groups received an equal volume of saline via the same route. After 7 days， MCAO surgery was performed. The distal and proximal ends of the right common carotid artery （CCA） were ligated， a small incision was made between the two ligatures， and a silicone rubber-coated monofilament with a rounded tip was inserted into the lumen to occlude the CCA. The filament was left in place for 1 h to establish a focal cerebral ischemia model. At 24 h after modeling， mice were evaluated. Neurological function was assessed using the Longa score. Cerebral infarct volume was measured by 2，3，5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride （TTC） staining. Cerebral blood flow was observed by laser speckle imaging. Hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining and Nissl staining were used to observe pathological changes in brain tissues. Exosomes were isolated from mouse plasma and brain tissues by ultracentrifugation and molecular size exclusion and identified by electron microscopy， particle size analysis， and protein blotting. Long-chain RNA libraries of exosomes were constructed and sequenced. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression of inflammatory factors and neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues of each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the protein expression of inflammatory factors and neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes from brain tissues of each group. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of the neutrophil-specific protein myeloperoxidase （MPO） in the brains of mice in each group. ResultsCompared with the sham-operated group， the model group showed decreased neurological function scores （P<0.01）， obvious cerebral infarction （P<0.01）， reduced cerebral blood flow （P<0.01）， neuronal necrosis in the brain， and decreased numbers of Nissl bodies （P<0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL1， CXCL2， CXCL3， CXCL10， CCL2， and CCL3 in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL2， and CXCL10 in exosomes from brain tissues were increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and MPO-positive rates and mean optical density values in brain tissues were elevated （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the Huanglian Jiedutang group and the Ginaton group showed increased neurological function scores （P<0.05）， reduced cerebral infarct volume （P<0.01）， restored cerebral blood flow （P<0.01）， reduced necrotic cells in the brain， and increased numbers of Nissl bodies （P<0.01）. In the Huanglian Jiedutang group， the mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL1， CXCL2， CXCL3， CXCL10， CCL2， and CCL3 in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues were decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL2， and CXCL10 in exosomes from brain tissues were reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and MPO-positive rates and mean optical density values in brain tissues were decreased （P<0.01）. ConclusionHuanglian Jiedutang can effectively regulate the expression of neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues of MCAO mice， thereby reducing neutrophil infiltration in the brain and achieving therapeutic effects.

ObjectiveTo investigate the characteristics of metabolic reprogramming during cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury using single-cell transcriptome sequencing， analyze the heterogeneity of microglial populations， and evaluate the interventional effects of Huanglian Jiedutang on metabolic abnormalities and neuroinflammation. MethodsA transient middle cerebral artery occlusion （tMCAO） model was used to establish ischemic stroke in mice. Local cerebral blood flow changes were monitored by laser speckle imaging. Neurological impairment was evaluated using the Zea-Longa score， and histopathological damage in brain tissue was observed by HE and Nissl staining. Animals were divided into a sham group， model group， Huanglian Jiedutang group， and Ginkgo biloba extract （GBE） group. After 1 week of acclimatization， intragastric administration was initiated. The sham and model groups received normal saline， the Huanglian Jiedutang group was administered 1.82 g·kg^-1， and the GBE group was administered 0.432 g·kg^-1 after preparation as a 2.16 mg/mL solution. All groups were treated for 5 consecutive days （0.2 mL/10 g/day）， and the tMCAO model was established on day 6 after the final administration. At the molecular level， single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on ischemic hemisphere tissue. Non-negative matrix factorization （NMF） was used to cluster microglial subpopulations， combined with differential expression analysis， metabolic reprogramming assessment， and inflammatory factor correlation analysis to elucidate their functional characteristics in ischemia-reperfusion injury. Transcription factor enrichment analysis was further conducted to identify key regulatory nodes. Finally， PCR was used to detect mRNA expression changes of relevant genes to validate the single-cell sequencing results. ResultsCompared with the sham group， the model group showed increased neurological function scores （P<0.01）， decreased blood flow levels （P<0.01）， disordered cortical structure， increased cytoplasmic vacuolization， and increased Nissl bodies. Compared with the model group， the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed decreased neurological function scores （P<0.01）， increased blood flow levels （P<0.01）， alleviated cortical structural disorder， reduced cytoplasmic vacuolization， and decreased Nissl bodies. Single-cell analysis showed that microglia could be divided into five subpopulations. Among them， clusters 3 and 5 exhibited significant pro-inflammatory phenotypes， with marked activation of hypoxia and NF-κB signaling pathways， and were identified as pro-inflammatory subpopulations. Clusters 1 and 2 were enriched in Wnt/β-catenin and transforming growth factor（TGF）-β signaling pathways and exhibited prominent anti-inflammatory and reparative characteristics. Meanwhile， glycolysis-related genes， such as HK2， PFKP， and LDHA， were significantly upregulated in the pro-inflammatory subpopulations. Correlation analysis showed that the expression levels of inflammatory molecules were positively correlated with glycolysis-related gene expression levels， whereas the expression levels of reparative and anti-inflammatory molecules were negatively correlated with glycolysis-related gene expression levels， indicating that microglia rely on the glycolytic pathway for energy acquisition under ischemic conditions. Further single-cell transcriptome analysis revealed that Huanglian Jiedutang effectively downregulated key genes driving metabolic reprogramming （such as HK2， PFKP， and LDHA）， significantly reduced the proportion of microglial subpopulations accompanied by glycolytic reprogramming， and inhibited their transformation toward a damage phenotype， thereby reducing inflammatory injury. Meanwhile， compared with the sham group， the mRNA expression levels of interleukin （IL）-1β， IL-6， tumor necrosis factor（TNF）-α， CCL2， CXCL2， and CSF3 were significantly upregulated （P<0.01） in the model group， whereas the mRNA expression levels of endothelial- and pericyte-related functional genes， including RGS5， PECAM1， VEGFB， and NOS3， were significantly downregulated （P<0.01）. In contrast， compared with the model group， the Huanglian Jiedutang and GBE groups showed significantly decreased mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， IL-6， TNF-α， CCL2， CXCL2， and CSF3 （P<0.01）， and significantly increased mRNA expression levels of endothelial- and pericyte-related functional genes， including RGS5， PECAM1， VEGFB， and NOS3 （P<0.01）. ConclusionHuanglian Jiedutang exerts neuroprotective effects by regulating the metabolic reprogramming state of microglia and modulating their inflammatory levels， thereby inhibiting neuroinflammatory injury.

Objective: To compare the consistency between bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and dual energy X ray absorptiometry (DXA) in measuring body composition among Tibetan children and adolescents and to explore the applicability of BIA in plateau region, so as to provide scientific and convenient body composition measurement support among children and adolescents. Methods: From May to June, 2022, a total of 344 Tibetan children and adolescents aged 6-17 years were selected from Golmud Municipal National Middle School and Changjiangyuan Nationality Primary School in Qinghai Province by cluster sampling method, and their fat mass, fat mass percentage and lean mass were measured by DXA and BIA. The consistency and correlation between the two methods were assessed by using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test, Spearman correlation analysis, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Bland-Altman analysis. Results: DXA measured fat mass and fat mass percentage were significantly higher than those obtained by BIA (6-12 years old: Z =9.91, 11.28; 13-17 years old: Z =9.02, 10.21), while lean mass and lean mass percentage were significantly lower than BIA results (6-12 years old: Z =-11.60, -11.30; 13-17 years old: Z =-10.77, -10.36) (all P < 0.05 ). The two methods showed strong correlations in fat mass and lean mass (all r >0.80, all ICC >0.90), but exhibited poor agreement in fat mass percentage and lean mass percentage (6-12 years old: Lin s CCC =0.64, 0.41; 13-17 years old: Lin s CCC = 0.79 , 0.35). Bland-Altman analysis showed that the difference between the two methods was negatively correlated with the average value in FM%(6-12 years old: r =-0.75, 13-17 years old: r =-0.79, both P <0.01). Conclusion BIA and DXA show high consistency in measuring body fat mass and lean body mass in Tibetan children and adolescents, although some bias is still present in certain individuals.

Objective: This prospective study evaluated the feasibility of chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI for assessing disease activity in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). Materials and Methods: A total of 88 patients with active TAO, 76 with inactive TAO, and 30 healthy controls were enrolled. CEST MRI-derived magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) and MTR asymmetry (MTRasym) at 1 ppm, 2 ppm, and 3.5 ppm were calculated. Clinical data, MTR, and MTRasym values for the extraocular muscles (one representative muscle per eye, yielding two measurements per participant) were compared among the groups. Spearman’s correlation was used to examine associations between imaging parameters and the clinical activity score (CAS) in patients with TAO. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent associations between imaging parameters and disease activity in patients with TAO (active vs. inactive). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic performance for discriminating active from inactive TAO. Results: Patients with active TAO showed lower MTR values (P < 0.001) and higher MTRasym (1 ppm), MTRasym (2 ppm), and MTRasym (3.5 ppm) (all P < 0.001) compared with those with inactive TAO. MTR was negatively correlated with CAS (r = -0.402; P < 0.001), while MTRasym (1 ppm), MTRasym (2 ppm), and MTRasym (3.5 ppm) were positively correlated with CAS (r = 0.369, 0.350, and 0.349, respectively;all P < 0.001). MTR and MTRasym (1 ppm) were independently associated with TAO activity. The areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) for MTR and MTRasym (1 ppm) in discriminating active from inactive TAO were 0.772 and 0.730, respectively. Combining MTR with MTRasym (1 ppm) significantly improved diagnostic performance compared with either parameter alone, achieving an AUC of 0.805 (P = 0.029 and 0.001). Conclusion MTR and MTRasym (1 ppm) were independently associated with TAO activity. Their combination further enhanced diagnostic performance in distinguishing active from inactive TAO, suggesting their potential as quantitative imaging biomarkers to guide treatment in patients with TAO.

ObjectiveThe present study aimed to investigate alterations in white matter microstructure and spontaneous neural activity in male college smokers, and to further explore their associations with nicotine dependence. Given that adolescence and early adulthood represent critical periods for brain maturation, particularly for white matter development, understanding the neural correlates of smoking behavior during this stage is of substantial importance for both neuroscience and public health. MethodsA total of 115 male undergraduate students were initially recruited for this study. After quality control and exclusion procedures, 52 male college smokers and 42 demographically matched healthy non-smokers were included in the final analysis. All participants underwent multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI). White matter fiber tracts were reconstructed using the automated fiber quantification (AFQ) method, which enables precise identification and quantification of major fiber bundles. Eighteen major white matter tracts were segmented for each participant. Along the core trajectory of each tract, 100 equidistant nodes were sampled. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was calculated at each node to assess white matter microstructural integrity, while amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was computed to evaluate spontaneous neural activity within white matter tracts. Between-group differences in FA and ALFF were assessed using two-sample t-tests, with appropriate corrections applied for multiple comparisons. Furthermore, Pearson correlation analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between imaging-derived metrics (FA and ALFF values in regions showing significant group differences) and nicotine dependence severity, as measured by the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence (FTND). ResultsCompared with healthy non-smokers, male college smokers exhibited significantly increased FA values in several white matter tracts, including the left thalamic radiation, right corticospinal tract, forceps major of the corpus callosum, left uncinate fasciculus, and right arcuate fasciculus. These findings suggest altered microstructural organization or increased directional coherence within these pathways. In addition, smokers demonstrated significantly elevated ALFF values in the forceps major, right uncinate fasciculus, and left arcuate fasciculus, indicating enhanced spontaneous neural activity in these white matter regions. Correlation analyses revealed that FA values in the left thalamic radiation and right corticospinal tract were negatively correlated with FTND scores, suggesting that higher levels of nicotine dependence were associated with reduced microstructural integrity or altered fiber organization in these regions. In contrast, ALFF values in the forceps major and right uncinate fasciculus were positively correlated with FTND scores, indicating that greater nicotine dependence was associated with increased spontaneous neural activity in specific white matter pathways. ConclusionThe present study provides evidence that male college smokers exhibit distinct alterations in both white matter microstructure and functional activity. These abnormalities are not uniformly distributed but rather localized to specific fiber tracts implicated in sensorimotor processing, interhemispheric communication, and higher-order cognitive and emotional regulation. Importantly, the observed associations between imaging metrics and nicotine dependence severity suggest that these structural and functional alterations may reflect neurobiological mechanisms underlying addiction. The combination of AFQ-based tract profiling and multimodal MRI offers a sensitive approach for detecting subtle changes along white matter pathways, highlighting its potential utility in identifying neuroimaging biomarkers of nicotine dependence. Overall, these findings indicate that smoking during early adulthood may disrupt ongoing white matter maturation, potentially leading to long-term consequences for brain function. This study provides novel insights into the neural basis of nicotine dependence and underscores the importance of early intervention and prevention strategies targeting young smokers.